Any True Blood/Sookie Stackhouse Fans?

I was wondering if any of you are fans of HBO's True Blood or Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels? I figured given SS's aesthetic that some of you might be. If you are a fan of either the show or the novels, I was hoping you could answer a question for me that would help with my dissertation research (I'm writing a chapter on vampire narratives by women).

My question is: What is it that attracts you to the show and/or the novels? Do you love vampires in general, is it for the element of romance, are you drawn to the message of equality (vampires as a new minority group), or something else entirely?

Aside from my question, I would love to hear your thoughts or opinions on the show or the novels in general. I think it could be quite a fun discussion.

And, in case you were wondering, I greatly prefer Eric to Bill--A. Skars all the way!

I don't generally find blonds attractive, and I still think that man is hot.

I am attracted to pretty much any show with a supernatural bent; True Blood is definitely a soap opera, but it is a very well done one, all in all. They take things further than many shows as far as content (killing characters, horrifying situations) as well as showing the gore that would be easy to pass over, but it also has a wide array of side characters that ultimately make the show. I do like a good romance (not just the sex, but also the development of relationships), but Sookie and her man fans are possibly the least interesting storyline in the show. Then again, season 3 was pretty disappointing; they tried to go in too many directions at once and it really took away from the whole. That's just my $.02, though.

The books are popcorn; fun fluff. I've read most of them, and can remember next to nothing about any of them; they all blend together. As for why I watch or read them, parallel universe tales do a great job of exploring just what it is to be human, and this is ultimately the question behind vampires. Who are they, who were they, and what does it say about us and the nature of our humanity? Is a kind vampire ultimately more human than a violent man? Mix that with romance (here it's really about a weak human controlling incredibly powerful creatures' emotions; it's heady if manipulative when done well), and it's a fun show to watch.

I'm not sure True Blood is the best world out there for discussing the nature of humanity, as again, it is a soap opera, but that and the popcorny goodness is what ultimately keeps me watching. Well, that and Terry and Lafayette. I <3 them.

Alicious--thank you for your thoughtful response! Have you watched season 4 of True Blood yet? In my opinion, it is much, much better than season 3. I think it is my favorite season thus far aside from season 1, of course. I particularly like the question you raise about whether a kind vampire is more human than a violent man. This seems like one of the key issues of the show/novels.

Oops, I meant season 4! I felt like they had too many storylines going at once to properly flesh them out, but again, that might not be how other viewers (like you!) felt. Storytelling and the enjoyment of stories can be so personal, so I'm hoping that Season 5 better suits my tastes. I'm also hoping they kill off Tara.

How funny, the way you feel about season 4 is how I feel about season 3. I do agree though that some of the story lines seemed added on or tangential. Rumor has it that Tara may become a zombie in season 5--that is kind like getting killed off, no?

The saving grace from last season was just how quotable it was. Taco and I have manage to work "it's brujo shit, and it's going to get ugly" into as many conversations as we can. I cried and am pissed about Jesus dying, even though the devil face thing was really bizarre. I know they're a large part of the later books, but I really have no interest in the faerie plots that they're trying to run.

I think the whole thing with vampires and women is quite simple. What's hotter than a supernatural being falling in love with a human woman and having power over her in a way that she can hardly resist? It's your basic animal instincts without guilt or the fear of having to explain yourself. They have all the power, so you're blameless for getting mixed up with them. It's like dating the "bad boy" type that you know darn well you should stay away from, but you can't help it. Before you know it you're in way over your head and it's exciting and wrong in so many ways. The element of it being wrong and taboo is the hottest thing about it, just like this. But with a supernatural being, you'd be less accountable for your actions because hey, you couldn't help it because of their "powers". Especially the ones that can happen behind closed doors It's the taboo of it, and being desired so much by someone you can't say no to who is special or different in some major way. It would be wonderful to be one of these supernatural-type things for many people, and if you can't be one of them then the next best thing is to be loved by one.

The saving grace from last season was just how quotable it was. Taco and I have manage to work "it's brujo shit, and it's going to get ugly" into as many conversations as we can. I cried and am pissed about Jesus dying, even though the devil face thing was really bizarre. I know they're a large part of the later books, but I really have no interest in the faerie plots that they're trying to run.

Haha, I am going to have to use that line now! I too love Jesus (and Kevin Alejandro) and was gutted to see him get killed off, though rumor has it that he will be back from time to time as a ghost to help Lafayette develop his gifts. I agree about the faerie plots also. As Sookie herself says, her being a faerie is kind of "lame." I had hoped that Alan Ball would deviate from the plot of the novels and make her something else, but no dice. I read that season 5 is supposed to involve the faeries heavily, so I hope the show does something interesting with them beyond the faerie plot lines in the novels.